Switching and braking device



H. VAN SCOY.

SWITCHING AND BRAKING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED IAN.8, I92].

1 ,405,562, Patented Feb. 7, 1922 6 SHEETS-SHEET I- o Jittor'neyfl H. VAN SCOY.

SWITCHING AND BRAKING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 8, 1921.

Patented Feb. 7, 1922..

6 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

[nve 607" ffozuard Wmvficoy jttow egps' H. VAN SCOY.

SWITCHING AND BRAKING DEVICE.

' APPLICATION FILED IAN.8| I921.

1,405,5 2, Patented Feb.7, 1922.

denim-sum a.

inventor am r'd Fan 5003 H. VAN SCOYI SWITCHING AND BRAKING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED mm. 1921.

1,405,562. Patented Feb. 7, 1922.

7' fl I 6 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

Z [q 1,- I g I 122 J 0 17am: mzar H. VAN SCOY,

SWiTCHING AND BRAKING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 8, 192].

Patepted Feb. 7, 1922.

. 1EETSSHEET 5.

. V N Jfivenfar Q Q wawi Want S0 H. VAN SCOY.

SWITCHING AND BRAKING DEVICE: APPLICATION FILED JAN-B. 1921.

1,405,562. Patented Feb. 7, 1922.

, 6 SHEETS-SHEET 6. ,fyr J61 I .n Y Jnvenzfor 'f" Q if) jz0wa7d Wan 156 i v fitter 77 31$ 55 operation" of switches which govern the UNITED STATES- PATENT ,OFFICE.

nowm van SCOY,- or 0316500; ILLINOIS.

To all whom it may comer n:

Be it known that I,HowA-Rn VAN'SooY, a citizen of the United States, residingat Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin' a Switch-in and Braking Device, of' which the follbwing is a specification. This invention relates to railwas, and pertains particularly to appliances i or controlling the speed of cars independentlyof their braking apparatus while they are being shunted or moved-separate from a locomotive or other propelling means.

As is well known in present day railway practice, it is customary in many instances in so called gravity yards, to distribute cars in the process of making up different trains by cutting them loose individually or in groups on a main switching track at the top of a grade or hump so they will travel down the grade under the influence of gravity, and then turning them on to desired 'sidings 0r shunt tracks through switches fromthe main track. Such yards are laid out on proper grades to cause the cars to continue to travel on the sidings under the influence of gravity until stopped by a bumper or by coming up against other cars ahead of'them-on the sidings. In present practice, the speed and movement of the cars is controlled by hand manipulation of the braking apparatus on the several cars, and this necessitates a brakemanriding each car during the course of its movement in order to manipulate the brakes, thereby to control its speed and-prevent violent or destructive impact upon the bumper or the car ahead of it upon the-siding. In the'event of failure orinoperativeness of the brake mechanism of the car, there is no way of controlling its speed, and in such contingencies the operation is dangerous to both the workman and the equipment.

The general object of the present invention is the provision of means which may be installed as part of the yard equipment and the operation of which may be controlled from a central station or tower and which will be effective automatically to control the speed of individual cars during such periods of their movement on the tracks as may be desired. r

Another purpose of the invention is the provision of such apparatus which may be rendered efi'ective in conjunction with the swrrcnmo AND nnnkim'o DEVICE.

Specification of Letters latent. Patented Feb. 7, 1922. Application filed January 8, 192'15-sena $135,819.

movement of the car's onto the selected sidings.

- Another "object of the invention is the proa the 'ac'companyin-g'cl'aims, or obvious from the following description and the drawings forming a part of this specification. The

invention will be disclosed through the fol lowing description of an illustrative embodiment, it being understood that the same comprises but one of various forms in which the invention may be incorporated, and that the mechanism utilized maybe changed by adaptation and substitutionwithoutsacrlfice of the essential features and principles 'con-' stituting the essence of the invention. In the said drawings, Fig. 1 is a plan view of fragmentary track sections illustrating the association of various elements of the car braking apparatus; Fig; 2 is a plan view of a track section and switch points illustrating the association of the invention with the same; V

Fig; 3 is a'transver'se section of a track portion showing the mounting of the throwofi'incline. p l

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of mechanism illustrated in Fig. 1; x v

' Fig.5 is'a detail-showing side elevationof thebraking shoe; p

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the block with parts broken away;

Fig. 7 is a detail in the nature .of a section on line 7-7 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 10 is a section of arail showing an end elevation of the throw-off cam;

Fig. 11 is a longitudinal section of the shoe mechanism showing it in cooperation with the rail;

Fig. .12 is a sectional view'of the shoe f mechanism. and its mounting, showing the former retracted from the rail;

Fig. 13. is a section similar to Fig. 11

illus trating the cooperation of the lifting incline V with the shoe;

Fig. 14 is a side elevation showing the parts in the relationship illustrated in Fi 13;

1g. 15 is a top view partly in section illustrating the operation of the throw-ofli' cam;

Fig. 16 is a plan view illustrating the operative' vconnections between the cast-ofi' mechanism and movable switch portions;

Fig. '17 is a longitudinal section of a track portion, showing in elevation certain of the parts illustrated in Fi 16; and Fig. 18 1s a plan view of a modi ed form of actuating means.

Described generally. the invention contemplates the provision of a shoe guide in the nature of a rail disposed alongside a selected stretch of the railway track on which the cars are to bev shunted, upon which guide is mounted a travelling shoe adapted to be moved into cooperation with a rail of the track at selected points. When so positioned in cooperation with the rail, the shoe occupies a position where it will engage a wheel I to permit its lateral withdrawal automatically to an ineffective position where it is supported by the shoe guide. Automatically effective means is supplied whereby, when the shoe is disengaged from the track rail, it

-'is withdrawnback to the point at which it was originally engaged with the track rail, in which position it is ready for replacement upon the track rail when desired. Means adapted for operation. either from a central station or swltching tower, or man-- ually at selectedpoints, is provided for effecting the positioning of the shoe upon the track rail, and for positioning the throwoff devices whereby the shoeis disengaged from the track rail, so that they may be rendered effective to accomplish that operation. Or the throw-ofit' devices may be operably associated with track switchportions in such fashion that they are moved to operative and V inoperative positions in accordance with the positioning of the switch portions.

Described morespecifically, and with reference to the forms illustrated in the draw ings,l et it be understood that the reference character T designates railway track rails in association with which are. installed shoe guides illustrated as comprising-upper and lower channel members 1' supported on brackets '2 anchored on portions of ties be-v 'side, the track rails. These shoe guides may be of any desired length, depending upon the selected extent of travel permitted for the shoes. Such guides may be disposed on opposite sides of the track, if desired, such an arrangement being illustrated in Fig. 1,

whereas in Fig. ,2 the disposal of a guide at only one'side of the track is shown. Mounted on the shoe guide is a braking detrated in detail in igs. 8 to 15 inclusive. Thisbraking device includes a shank portion 4; which is a substantial rigid-member of suflicient length to extend fromthe shoe guide to the adjacent track rail, and which has. opposite parallel faces adapted to ride between the members 1 of the guide, whereby the shank is maintained in substantially horizontal position while permitted freedom of movement longitudinally toward [the track rail and transversely throughout. the extent of the guide. a A block 5 is provided with an aperture which accommodates the shank member 4, and carries antifriction rollers 6 effective atits inner side, so that when the block is in operative position said rollers will ride upon the outer vertical flanges of the channel members 1. Carried at the inner extremity of the shank member 4 is a stop portion 7 extending beyondthe upper and lower surfaces of the shank and equipped with anti-friction rollers 8 adapted to contact the inner vertical flanges of the rail members 1 when thebraking device, the construction of which is best illusvice is retracted, and thereby limit outward movement of said device. Coiled springs 9 are. connected at their extremities to the block 5 and stop member 7, passing between the upper and lower channel members 1, and said springs have the tendency to-holdthe shank member retracted with the rollers 8 of the stop member against-the inner verti cal flanges of the channel members. At the inner extremity of the shank 4 adjacent the stop member 7 is supported a head member 10 which, together with the stop member 7 may be formed integrally withthe shank 4. The construction of this head member is bestillustrated, in Fig. 6, wherein it will'be seen that it is in the nature of a. block having'its rearward and lower faces grooved to form a shoe seat 10 between lateral flanges or shoulders. Thechejad 10 forms a mounting for the shoe 11 which has a rib 11 adapted to lit in the shoe seat-of the head, said rib including an enlargement or boss 1]."at its upper extremity adapted to inter fit a depression 10" in the shoe seat, and a transversely apertured boss 11, adapted at its forward extremity to register in a' recess 109 f the shoe seat wherein it maybe retained by a bolt, rivet or the like. The

plate 12, the same being adapted for vertical movement on the head member to an extentpermitted by the slots 12 through which the fastenings 14 extend; This extent of movement is sufiicient to permit the lower portion'of the latch plate 12 to extend "a substantial distance belowthe friction plate 11 of the shoe, so that such portion of the latch plate will be in position to engage the inner lateral surface of the railhead' when the friction plate is resting'onj the rail, whilethe extent of upward movement of the latch plate 12 is sufiicient topermit its being raisedto clear the upper surface of the rail. -Extending'. inwardly from the latch plateis a contact .block..1 5"whereby the latch plate may be lifted as hereinafter described, while an outwardly extending post 16 is arranged to provide an'engageable member whereby the latch plate may be lifted by: means of acrowbar introducedbetween saidpost and the top of the head member.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the braking device is adapted. for travel longitudinally of the guide and is also adapted for movement toward and from the adjacent track rail. Suitable means is' provided ifor constraining the travel of the braking device longitudinally on the guide, which'meanssisefiective to return itto its initial or starting position when it is free fromother, restraint. This restoring means is here illustrated by a'mechanism including a flexible'connection or cable 17 which isconnectedat one end to'the-braking device and guided in a horizontal course alongside the guideby a sheave 18 around which it passes, and from which it is led V to an elevated sheave 19' carried on a post 20xor other suitable support, and by the position of which a weight 21 is effective upon the connecting member. 17 to tend to retain the braking device at its starting position. This starting position is toward the end ofvthe brake guide which 'is' first approached by azicar in its movement down the grade of the track, and is determined by the location of an abutment 22 which may be set at suitable points in the guide by means of securing means'2'4 so that it will make contact with the side of the block 5' nearest the restoring-mechanism.

The mounting of the guide sheave 18 is such that it may change its angularity relative to the track in a horizontal plane, so as to accommodate itself to the changes in angularity of the cable 17 relative to the track incident to movement of the braking device. In. the normal or. starting position of the shoe, which-hereinafter will be referred. to as a setting station, is provided an inclined plane 25 sloping from adjacent the upper surface of the. rail to'a point sufii-i ci'ently "low'to engage the lower margin of the'lafc'h plate, said inclined plane being positioned between thebrake. guide and the adjacent trackrail, as best illustrated in Figs. 8 and'll. At the setting station, outside of the brake guide, is disposed suitable setting-mechanism, here represented .by a pair of'bell crank levers 26 and 27 fulcrumed respectively at 26 and 27 and connected by a link'28. The work arm of the lever 26 carries an anti-friction roller 29 adapted to contact ithe'outer extremity of the shank 4 when in its retracted or outer position, and operation of the lever 26' by power applied to its power arm will be effective to swing lever. 26 to impel the shank 4: inwardly toward 3 the track rail, against the influence of; thesprings 9. Upon such movement of the shank, the latch plate 12 will be-lifted-by riding up the inclined plane-25 so that the friction plate of the shoe may-befposition'ed on the head of the rail. 'When the latch plate has passed over the upper surfaces of the rail, it will fall so that its-lower portion willengage the inner faced the rail head, and thereby retain the shoe: in alignment'upon the rail. The braking device is thusplaced in operative position, which is illustrated in Fig.

8, and in which position it will be engaged by-a wheel,indicated at W in Fig. 9, of a car shuntedlagainst it. The weight and cable will be effectiveto restrain the braking devicein'place so that a wheel so moved into cooperation with'the shoe will ride up the rearward extension thereof to an extent where the tread of the wheel is lifted from the-tread of the rail, without raising the wheel fiangeito clear thewrail head,v the Weight of th'e wheel and its portion of the load being-supported upon the shoe. This cooperation of the braking device with the car and .railxwill have the effect of exercisingca braking-influence upon the movement of the car, due to the 'fri'c'tion': which is imposed -by the sliding'of'the shoe upon the'rail; The-braking device, however, is free tomove longitudinally upon the rail. in this associationwith the wheel, so that the movement of the car will not be ab ruptly stopped, butsuch movementand the speed thereof i-willbe held in proper control. Obviously-,- the setting of the braking device in the manner above described may be ac eomplished either by the manual operation of the lever '27,.or by an automatic or mechanical -opera-tionthereof as by energiza tion' of anelectro-m'agnetic. device 30, or by alcablewconnection Cto a' tower or central operating station as illustrated in Fig. 18.

Such movement. of the braking device in cooperation with the car will be continued to the extent permitted by the arrangement of the throw-off mechanism. The throw-01f mechanism is best illustrated in Figs. 10, 13, 14 and 15. At desired points beyond the settingstations, there are positioned for association with the rail upon which the shoe is adapted to ride, a latch lifting incline 31 and; a cast-off cam 32. The liftin incline is disposed at the inside of the rall, while the cast-oilcam is disposed at the outer side thereof. The upper margin 31 of the lifting incline is slightly above the level of the tread of the rail, while the inclined margin 31 thereof is directed toward the setting station. The arrangement is such that upon the braking device reaching the lifting incline, the block 15 will ride up the incline margin and onto the top margin 31, thereby lifting the latch plate 12- to an extent where it is no longer effective to retain the braking device against outward movement away from the rail. 'Being thus freed, the tendency of the springs 9 will'be to'throw the head and shoe away from the rail. As the shoe is held by the car wheel, however, it is desirable to employ positive means for freeing it, which means is furnished in the cast-off cam 32. This cam has an effective vertical face which diverges from adjacent the-outer lateral face of the rail head, at which point it is adapted to enter between. the guide flange 11 of the shoe. and the rail, deflecting the braking device outwardly away from the rail incident to its movement longitudinally thereon. 'The forward extremity of. the flange 11 maybe bevelled as illustrated in 11 to facilitate this operation. This lateral deflection of the braking device will swing the shoe out of alignment with the wheel, and be'elfective to disengage it therefrom, so that the braking device maybe withdrawn fully to retracted position as illustrated in Fig; 12, by the springs 9. Upon the braking device being thus freed from the car, the restoring means represented by the. weight 21 and connection 17.will be permitted to exert its effectiveness to withdraw the :braking device rearwardlyalong the guide to the initial or setting station. As illustrated in Fig. 1, the throw-oil devices 31 and 32 are shown in fixed relation ship to the rails, and it is obvious that they may beso disposed if desired, a. suitable distance beyond the. Setting stations, or in ad- Vance ofswitches or other track parts. The installation of the throw-off devices, however, may be-such as to permit their move ment into and out of operative association with the rail; Such installations are illustrated in. Figs. 2, 3, 16 and 17 wherein they are operablyassociated with movable switch portions. It is obvious, however,

that they may be similarly operated independently ofswitch portions.- in the last mentioned figures, the lifting in clines and cast-off cams areshiftably supported upon a foundation plate. 34 adapted for attachment to the track ties, guides-35 being provided for so mounting the members. 31 and 32. The members -31 and 32 carry guide pins 36 which pass through guiding apertures in the web of the-track rail with afreedom. of movement permitaccomplished conjointly with the opening.

and closing of the switch, or, if the operating connection for :the throw-off devices is not operably connected with-the switch As shown opening mechanism, they may be positioned by independently operated means. 7

The operation of the apparatus has been described in detail above. In the customary employment of the apparatus, it will be understood that cars. are shunted toward a setting station one or more at a time. If it'is desired to'render the braking mechanism at the setting station effective upon the car or cars, the setting mechanism 26, 27, 29, 30 is energized to-place the shoe 11 upon the rail in front of the approaching car. The car upon contacting with the shoe will ride theqlatter along. the rail, thereby introducing the desired friction between the car and the track to reduce the speed of the car. When the'shoe reaches a throw-olf station it will be automatically disengaged from the rail by engagement with the members '31 and 32 in the manner above described and returned to the setting station by the action of the return mechanism 19, 2O, 21, where it remains in retracted position upon the guide 1 in p0sition to be engaged by the setting member 29 when its employment is next desired.

It will be obvious that there may be a series of setting stations and throw-oil. de-

vices associated with a given stretch of track, so that one braking device may be rendered 'efi'ective upon a car if another braklng device has been cast off, and that thereby a car may be subjected to successive braking operations in the course of its movement. Such a series arrangement of the a mechanism is illustrated in Fig. 1, wherein twosetting stations are shown with throw-off devices interposed between them. It is obvious also thata plurality of shiftences in their weight and the resultingmomentum of their travel, so that the final result of the employment of the apparatus will be to deliver all cars at, the stopping pointat safe and proper speeds. Due to the vfact that the brakingdevioe isreturned to the seating station immediately it is released from a car, the installation; is adapted to handle cars: as rapidly; as the maybe delivered along the track, while t e fact that the operation of the apparatus is automatic permits its being controlled entirely from a cen tral station or tower if desired I claim: I 1

I 1. In a rai'lwa a braking apparatus coma prising the combination of a guide extending alongside the track, a' braking device supported thereon for movement longitudinally thereof and'toward and from the track, said braking device including portions arranged for cooperationwith a track rail and a wheel of a car thereon, and means for moving the braking device on the guide.

2. In a railway, a braking mechanism comprising the combination of a guide ex- 7 tending alongsidea stretch of track, a br.

ing device supported for movement thereon, said braking device including portions arranged for cooperation with a track rail and aportion of a. car supported thereon, means efl'ective upon the braking device to move said portions into and out of cooperation with the rail, and "means for moving the braking device on the guide longitudinally of the track.

In a. railway,; a braking mechanism means for engaging the brakingdevicewith the rail, and means for disengaging the braking device from thelrail. f v

4:. In a railway, a braking mechanism comprising the combination of a guide extending alongside a stretch. of track, bra.k'-- ing mechanism mo-vably supported thereon for engagement with a track rail, operable means for engaging the braking mechanism with the track rail, and means for disengaging aha braking mechanism from the rail incident to its movement longitudinally thereon. t

'5. In a railway, a braking apparatus comprisingqa;guide-extending alongsid a stretch if-track, a braking devicecmovably supportv ed;on the guide, said braking device being movable along the rail by pressure from a car-travelling thereon, operable means efl'ective; at} a setting station to shiftthe braking device, into cooperation with-the rail, throw off devices associated with the rail .to disengage the brakingv device therefrom, :and meansoperable: to restore the braking device to the; setting; station.

6. Ina railway,'a braking apparatus com- I prising the combination of, a guide extendinglongitudinally of a stretch ofitrack, a brakingdevice; movably supported thereon vfor-association with a track rail, means for shifting the braking; device into and out of cooperation witha rail, and latching means for maintaining the braking, devicein co- 7 operation with a railr 7 In a railwa ,a braking apparatus comrisin'g the com ination of a guide extendmg longitudinally of a stretch of track, a braking device movably supported thereon for association with a track rail, means for v shifting the braking device into and out of cooperation with a rail, latching means for maintaining the braking device in cooperation with a rail, and means for moving the braking device on the guide longitudinally of the track.

8. In a railway, the combination with a' track rail of a braking device mounted for movement along the rail under pressure from a car thereon, operative means at a setting station efi'ective to position the braking device on the rail, throw-ofi' means effective beyond the setting station to disengage the braking device from the rail and means for restoring the braking device from the place of disengagement to station. 7 v

9. In a railway, the combination with a track rail of a braking device movablethereon under pressure from a car travelling on the rail, setting mechanism for disposing the braking device on the rail, throw-off means 7 for disengaging the braking device from the rail, and mechanism for shifting the throwofi' means to effective and inefiective positions. 1

-10. In a railway, the combination with a track rail of a braking device arranged to ride on the rail, setting mechanism operable to dispose the braking device on the rail,

throw-ofl means for disengaging the braking device from the rail, and means for restoring the braking device to operative association with the setting mechanism. v

11. In a railway, a braking apparatus comprisin a guide extending 'lon 'tudinally of a stretc of track, a braking evice mov able thereon 'for association with a car on the track, setting mechanism and throw-off means effective to movethe braking device the setting into and out of cooperation with the track, and restoring mechanism for; moving the bra-kin de vice longitudinally of the track.

12. n a railway, the combination with a trackrai] of a shoe adapted to restthereonand support the wheel of a car travelling on the track, operable meansfor maintaining the shoe on the rail, and means for shifting it'onto and off ofthe'rail;

' 13. In a railway, the combination with a track rail of a brakingmember adapted to be moved in cooperation with the rail and with a carthereon, mechanism disposed at a setting station for moving [the braking member into associationwiththe rail and car, and throw-off means disposed in asso ciation with the trackfor moving the braking'member out of cooperation with the track and the car.

14. In a railway, the combination" with a track rail of a braking member adapted to be moved in cooperation with the rail and with a car thereon, mechanism disposed at a setting station for moving thebraking I In testimony Y whereof; I have hereunto.

signed'my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. HOWARD VAN SCOY.

Witnesses: y

V C. S. BUTLER FRANoEsK; GILLESPIE. I 

